You know that moment of relief when Cinderella finally gets called down from her attic and gets to try on the famed glass slipper, and all the fuss and skepticism and eye-rolling (seriously, no one’s her size?) just melts away because you’re swooning at how the glittering shoe slips so perfectly onto her foot? Why yes, we don’t all have a foot fetish, but we’re sure you can relate — it’s quite a magical moment really.
Now, after you’ve viewed that mesmerising GIF for about a dozen times, let’s get to the point. Virgil Abloh and his team at Off-White™ have long been challenging boundaries with their coveted work, and here, he’s pushing his cult fashion label to new heights, with a major collaboration with Jimmy Choo. This marks the first time that the iconic designer shoe brand has worked with a ready-to-wear designer, so how about that!
Abloh has earlier shared about the inspiration for the collaboration before we even saw the shoe — referencing the same GIF that we shared earlier, the moment when Prince Charming puts the glass slipper on Cinderella’s foot, and the shoes are also fittingly referred to as ‘glass slippers’. Yet, this isn’t your typical glittery, bedazzled pair of heels; yes they’re towering stilettos, but they’re also wrapped in crumpled plastic, which certainly brings a unique, modern, and especially avant-garde perspective to the typical luxury footwear models.
The new line of shoes debuted at Off-White™’s Spring 2018 collection in Paris, which featured supermodel Naomi Campbell among the repertoire of models. These are pieces inspired by the late Princess Diana, a Jimmy Choo devotee who’s now serving as a modern muse, which explains the nine shoe silhouettes that went together with Off-White™’s ready-to-wear looks, where there were plenty of 90s styles, tulle and florals. What we love is how the shoes still look sophisticated and very “Jimmy Choo”, that is, the elegant designer footwear that the Carrie Bradshaws of the world will spend their salary on, while also different enough, and adopting a street-style feel, that it stands out from all the other standard stilettos. Either way, it’s a smart move by both brands.
“To collaborate with a brand like Off-White™ allows Jimmy Choo to explore a new avenue and take part in a different conversation,” says Sandra Choi, Creative Director of Jimmy Choo, on the collaboration. “I love to mix it up by getting together with a different creative mind identifying our synergies and combining our DNA to create a beautiful and surprising collection with unexpected links to the roots of our brand.”
What got most people talking would be these — the Claire shoe that’s modelled after the iconic Lance shoe, and reworked into a new style that’s wrapped in softly ruched PVC (so don’t worry, it won’t hurt your ankles or calves). And then, you’ll also see this plastic wrap theme continue in knee-high Elisabeth boots that come encased in PVC or wrapped with a messy layer of tulle, as well as the Anne satin pumps. All of these are playful interpretations of their classic feminine counterparts, twisted into something new without actually having to change its original silhouette.
There are also the chandelier-like Victoria heels, inspired by the grandeur of the tiara, with a shower of tear-drop crystals that will definitely entice those who’re looking to shine at formal events, and these Mary pumps topped with a oversized bow, a huge contrast to its delicate and refined stiletto silhouette, while the XXL size showing also represents a devil-may-care attitude to new luxury. As for the Sara, these are touted as “off-duty Princess” padded boots that probably imagine Cinderella’s wear when she’s next at a ski resort, or glamorously trudging through snow in Winter.
Lastly, and almost in the completely opposite direction, there are high heel and flat square-toe sandals that any modern-day Princess would wanna bring to a Summer vacation in the South of France, as these lightweight models see de-bossed logo rubberised straps, as thin as can be, in bright pops of black, white and red. See buying a new pair of shoes, especially the luxury sort, aren’t simply about making new additions to your toppling stack of shoeboxes, they’re about representing who are you are, making a statement — and you’ll definitely do that here.
Jimmy Choo x Off-White™ collection, from €650 to €1,750. From now till October 4, 2017, the collection can be pre-ordered at Jimmy Choo stores in Singapore located at Paragon shopping center, #01-42A-44, and The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, B2-80. jimmychoo.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.